Door Jamb Mountain Loder Peak Scramble - Canmore Exshaw
As viewed from the TransCanada
As of 2019 there is a new trailhead parking lot just west of the old in the ditch parking pictured here. It's the Jura Creek Trailhead with washrooms providing access to Jura Creek and Door Jamb Loder Peak trails
Picture taken from location of base of the ridge ditch parking looking west
New Jura Creek Door Jamb Loder parking north side of highway only moments from the old base of the ridge parking and directly opposite the Graymont Exshaw Plant entrance on the south side of the highway. Washrooms in the parking lot.
After 15 minutes or so a look back at the cement plant
Typical terrain steep and fairly sustained
On the trail view of the ridge and slabs of Door Jamb Mountain
A short steep slab climb moving to the right
Another bigger slab climb moving to the right, not quite as scary as it looks
Approaching the slabby area just before Door Jamb summit
A closer view of the terrain just before the summit of Door Jamb
The summit of Door Jamb Mountain
The remaining route over to Loder peak. Loder Peak summit cairn is just beside the light brown area
The last bit of elevation to Loder Peak, circle around on the light brown terrain
Looking back at Door Jamb Mountain from the summit of Loder peak
Yours truly on the summit of Loder peak with Mt Fable to the right
Yours truly on the summit of Loder peak with Door Jamb behind to the left
Down climb area to access the first gully to do the Jura Creek loop. To find this spot, look north from the Loder Peak summit area and move to the right side edge of the summit area and head down along the slope looking for this drop down spot
Descending the first gully with the black dirt at the top
Typical terrain down the gully
The gully narrows near the bottom
Once at the bottom of the gully you head left to intersect Jura Creek
Water worn pools on Jura Creek
Jura Creek terrain
More Jura Creek terrain further down
Entering the big wash area of Jura Creek. You can access the road back to the trail head by the power lines seen in the distance
If you skip the Jura Creek loop and return back the same way
Might have to bum scoot in a few spots
Generally working your way to the right when easiest
Door Jamb Mountain Loder Peak Scramble - Canmore Exshaw
- Scramble: Moderate scramble, route finding, rock slabs to ascend
- Altitude: 1975m Door Jamb; 2,100m Loder Peak Approx Only
- Elevation Gain: approx. 675m to Door Jamb approx. 125m to Loder for a rough estimate of 800m in total (2,624ft total)
- Ascent Time: about 2 hours give or take 20 min
- Best Season to Scramble: May to October or whenever the route is snow free
Highlights
This scramble because of its easterly location often escapes much of the snowy weather that Banff and Lake Louise get. It is an interesting early season scramble with a bit of route finding, some short stretches of climbing up slabs and good views for the effort. A good training climb for bigger objectives later in the summer.
It can be scrambled much earlier than July but if you do you must be aware of "tick" season. May and June are the months where "ticks are most active so you must learn about them and take proper precautions.
Getting There
Head west out of Calgary on the TransCanada highway # 1 to the Seebe turnoff (approx 63.5km from the Canada Olympic Park intersection to the Seebe turnoff), head north for 4.2 km to the old 1A. At the intersection of the old 1A highway head left (you ll be travelling west) for about 5-6km until you see the first Exshaw cement facility. The new Jura Creek trail head parking is a little bit west of the old in the ditch parking. The new parking lot is on the north side of the highway directly opposite the entrance for the Graymont Exshaw plant. Parking for up to 50 vehicles and washrooms.
Route Description
So you have to head back east from the new Jura Creek parking lot for a couple of minutes. Might be advised to warm up and stretch in the old parking area right at the ridge start as the route is fairly sustained in its steepness. Lots of little rock steps and as you approach the last part to Door Jamb Mountain there is at least 3 places where you have to move up by climbing slabs to your right. Route finding skills are required on this peak to keep things to a moderate level of difficulty per Alan Kane's classification in his book Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies.
Once you attain the Door Jamb summit enjoy a nice break with great views. From here you can see the whole route for the next objective Loder Peak, approx. 400 feet more elevation gain but well worth it. From Loder peak there is the option to descend down a gully to Jura Creek and make it a loop. If that is your plan, looking north head to the right hand side of the Loder Peak summit area and move down the slope until you see a short down climb spot which allows you to access the first gully. From here descend the gully, not much of a trail, just steep descending, pick your best way. At the bottom of the gully you head left for a time until you intersect Jura Creek. Head left down Jura Creek and it brings you back to a big wash area just before the 1A highway. Access the road back to the trail head near the power lines.